British Police Arrest 76 at London Eric Garner ‘Die-In’ Protest

LONDON (Reuters) – British police said on Friday they had arrested 76 people at a protest about the death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man killed in New York in a police chokehold, after demonstrators attacked a shopping centre in west London.

London’s Metropolitan Police said a small group had broken away from the main protest, a “die-in for Eric Garner” on Wednesday night, and tried to break into the Westfield shopping center, one of Europe’s largest inner city malls.

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They clashed with security staff and damaged property, leading to 76 arrests for public disorder offences.

“We will always work with those that wish to demonstrate lawfully – as the majority of protestor did yesterday,” said Chief Superintendent Mark Bird who led the policing operation.

“However, we will not tolerate the small minority that offer violence or commit other criminal acts, such as that witnessed outside Westfield yesterday evening.”